Charting newbie who needs some help!

[reelala]

Hi!

I am hoping that some of you here on MDC can help me.  If all goes well (DH passes his exams - we find out this month!) only 3 cycles until we TTC! I downloaded a new app called iPeriod to better track and I am thinking about charting since I seem to be all over the place with my average cycle (25-28 days and it is different every month).

I've never charted - is it easy? time consuming? What is the best way to start?

Also, are everyone's cycles a little different each month or like clockwork - how do you think that affected your fertility? 

Thank you so much!

[vivica2]

the best place to start is by getting a Basal Body Themometer and go to fertilityfriend.com and set up an account. 

as far as how  hard/ time consuming it is... that depends on you. you can just chart your temperature, when you first wake up in the morning. or you can chart other things like cervical position, cervical mucus, symptoms etc. 

you shoud go check out the book "taking charge of your fertility" that will help A LOT. 

good luck to you!

[casmer]

I would highly recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility...I picked my copy a few years ago from Half-price books, so it was cheap.  For the past several years I have only charted my temps, no checking cervical position, etc.  Although I don't chart it, I do notice the changes in cervical fluid throughout my cycle. 

Temping is super easy and not time consuming at all.  I started by buying a basal thermometer from drugstore.com and then I printed some charts from the Taking Charge of Your Fertility website.  I keep the paper charts in a binder next to my bed for easy recording.

I find that my cycles are relatively predictable, unless I have some sort of stressor.  When I got my first full-time job about a year ago, things went wacky for about 3-4 months, but my cycles are generally 29-31 days. 

[Jaimee]

Charting is AWESOME!  You will be so surprised by what you did not know about your own body!  Definitely pick up a copy of TCOYF as you will reference it often.  It's packed full of great information.  Also I second the rec to set up a FF account so that you can share your charts with us and we can help you with deciphering anything confusing. 

Charting is not at all difficult to do, but sometimes challenging to figure out what exactly is going  on.  However, once you get pretty proficient at it, it will help take the mystery out of what's going on and when you're TTC this is invaluable when you're going crazy about when to test.   Definitely start charting NOW so that you have some cycles to draw on for comparison once you start officially TTC.  Just go to any drugstore and pick up a basal body thermometer and you can start entering in your temps to FF tomorrow.  First, enter the first day of your last period and any other info you have and then enter your temps from tomorrow on.  Depending on when your LMP was, you might still catch ovulation this cycle so that you can see your first biphasic chart!  Very exciting!

[krunchyk]

I concur with everyone else! Charting is fantastic.  It is incredibly empowering and it is amazing the amount of knowledge you can gather by paying attention to the message your body is sending.  My partner is a scientist and he skeptical of how much information I can glean by simply taking my temperature and paying attention to a few other physical signs, but I am always right!  I think you will love it! Good luck!

[reelala]

OK so I am hooked!  I read TCOYF and started charting on Day 4 so I am really excited about my first month and watching my temps.  Thank you ladies for giving me the little push I needed!

[Jaimee]

  Yay for charting!

[reelala]

i need some help ladies - i am on day 13 and hoping to see my temp start rising!  strange thing though - my bbt seems pretty erratic thoughts about this?

[Jaimee]

Were you on any hormonal birth control recently?  If so, that can definitely make your temps and CF a little erratic and abnormal until things regulate again.  How consistent have you been at taking your temp at the same time each morning?  Have you set a default temp taking time in FF so that you can mark any earlier or later times accordingly?  Were CD 9 and 13 taken earlier than normal? What about your sleep and the room temp- have they been pretty consistent?  Any history of hypothyroidism?

In general I would say not to worry, though.  Usually your first chart  will be a bit wonky anyway b/c you're just starting.  Once you get a few under your belt you'll have a much clearer picture of what is "normal" for you as well as a better handle on recording your CF and CP, etc.  You definitely do have some super low temps so I will be interested to see what your O spike and LP look like.  Keep us posted!